1. Technical Field
The present invention is related to multimedia content delivery systems, and more particularly to systems that personalize or customize content.
2. Description of Related Art
Over the past ten years, the bandwidth capacity available to consumers for receiving content from the Internet and other networks has increased ten-fold and more. The increased bandwidth capacity has enabled consumers to download larger and larger files and other content, including rich media and multimedia content such as video clips, songs and movies. This increased bandwidth capacity has increased Internet usage and the potential for enjoyable and productive usage.
Despite the increased bandwidth capacity, however, prior to the present invention, there were no consumer-based broadband services that automate the delivery of rich media and multimedia content directly to the consumer's personal computer (PC) or Internet access device. Prior to the present invention, there were no service providers optimizing the use of a broadband connection by distributing multiple channels of rich media content and providing a mechanism to automate the selective tuning to desired material. Prior to the present invention, there were no mechanisms available to support Internet protocol (“IP”) recording and hence the time-shifted viewing of rich media material broadcast to the consumers PC or Internet access device.
Likewise, there has been an increase in the efforts of companies to gather information about consumers and to target consumers with advertising. Despite this effort, however, prior to the present invention there was no user interface that incorporates a profiling engine in offering personalized access to available material. Indeed, prior to the present invention, there was no personalized offering of rich media material to consumer PCs and Internet access devices.
Indeed, for the consumer of rich multimedia material, there does not exist a system of personalizing the consumer's access to the rich multimedia material. No systems exist that allow the consumer to view lists of content filtered by category and source. Likewise, no systems exist that allow the consumer to view lists of content filtered or sorted by a personal profile. Further, no systems exists that provide a dynamic interface that a consumer can modify to their liking to display differently filtered and sorted lists of content.